The invention relates to screen door assemblies and to the upper and lower tracks for screen door assemblies for entry doors.
Within recent years, the trend in building has been away from the sliding glass doors and more toward the use of single or double, double-hung entry doors for egress to the patio area of residential buildings. As with the sliding glass patio doors, there is sometimes associated with the single or double entry door a single screen door which will allow the door to be opened for fresh air circulation yet prevent insects or dirt from entering the building. The single screen door may be hinged to swing open for egress from the building, or the single screen door may be supported in a track for sliding to the opened or closed position. Even where double entry doors are used, there typically is only one screen door assembly.
An object of the invention therefore is to provide a multiple screen assembly system for a double entry door.
Another object of the invention is to provide an economic means for assembling a double screen door system.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a double screen door assembly which can be readily affixed adjacent an entry door frame.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an upper double track assembly for use in slidably supporting a double screen door.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lower double track assembly for use with a double screen door system.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a double screen door assembly wherein the screen doors are easily removable thereby providing unobstructed access for full use of a double entry door.
These and other objects of the invention will become evident from the ensuing description and appended claims.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a screen system for entry doors. The screen system comprises an inner generally rectangular screen door having spaced apart elongate parallel upper and lower frame members of substantially equal length and an outer generally rectangular screen door having spaced apart elongate parallel upper and lower frame members of substantially equal length. Each of the screen doors has a width corresponding generally to the length of its corresponding upper and lower frame members. The screen system also contains an upper screen door support member for attachment to a house adjacent a header of at last a double door exterior door system and a lower screen support member for attachment to a house adjacent a sill of the exterior door system in spaced apart relation to the upper screen door support member. A track guide system connects the inner and outer screen doors between the upper and lower screen door support members for translational movement in space-apart overlapping planes generally parallel to the screen doors in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the screen door support members.
In another embodiment, the invention provides an upper track for slidably guiding screen assemblies. The upper track comprises a first U-shaped channel having a first channel base member, a second U-shaped channel having a second channel base member, and a first side channel member common to and attached to the first and second U-shaped channels. The first and second base member of the U-shaped channels are offset relative to one another so that the first and second base members lie in different substantially parallel planes. Each U-shaped channel further contains a second side channel member on an opposing side of the channel base member from the first side channel member having a dimension sufficient to limit the lateral movement of the screen assemblies as the screen assemblies are moved in a direction substantially parallel to the U-shaped channels.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a screen system for double-hung entry doors. The screen system comprises an inner screen assembly containing a frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members and first and second vertical frame members carrying a screen; an outer screen assembly containing a frame having upper and lower horizontal frame members and first and second vertical frame members carrying a screen; and upper inner and outer longitudinal screen guides attached to a building adjacent the entry doors for slidably engaging a portion of the upper horizontal frame member of each of the inner and outer screen assemblies. Each of the inner and outer screen guides contain an elongate planar horizontal member having first and second edges, a first planar vertical member adjacent the first edge and a second planar vertical member adjacent the second edge wherein the second planar vertical member is common to both the inner and outer screen guides. Preferably, the elongate planar horizontal members lie in spaced apart substantially parallel planes. The outer screen guide further contains an upstanding rigid elongate member substantially centered between the first and second planar vertical members for limiting the lateral movement of the outer screen assembly when slidably positioning the outer screen longitudinally along the outer guide. The screen system also contains a lower sill attached adjacent a sill of the double-hung entry doors having an inner guide rail for engaging the lower horizontal frame member of the inner screen assembly and for limiting lateral movement of the inner screen assembly and an outer guide rail for engaging the lower horizontal frame member of the outer screen assembly and for limiting lateral movement of the outer screen assembly when slidably adjusting the outer screen.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a threshold track assembly for slidably guiding a screen door of a double screen door assembly. The threshold track assembly is attached to the threshold of an entry door having a projecting handle and comprises a threshold baseplate for attachment to the threshold, and inner and outer spaced apart, upstanding, substantially parallel tracks connected to the baseplate. The tracks extend substantially the entire length of the baseplate and a threshold attachment means. The space-apart tracks are positioned on the baseplate such that when the baseplate is attached to the threshold using the threshold attachment means, the outer screen door supported on the outer track is spaced from the entry door sufficient to enable at least the outer screen door to clear the door handle when the outer screen door is slid along the inner track.
The invention therefore provides a simple cost-effective system for providing a double screen assembly for double entry doors. Furthermore, the screen system of the invention has features which reduce or avoid the interference between the movable screen door and the handle of the entry door when slidably adjusting the position of the screen door.
Because the screens are easily removable from the double screen assembly, and there is no need for a center post for sealing between the screen doors, full unobstructed access to the double entry doors is available when the screen doors are removed. Hence, large objects may be moved through the entry doors when the screen doors are removed from their guides and guide rails.